Reversible umbrella



W- 5. EVANS, JR

REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA Aug. 19, 1952 Filed Nov. 29, 1950 WAYNE 5. E VANSJr.

ttomeg Patented Aug. 19, 1952 REVERSIBLE UMBRELLA 7 Wayne S Evans, Jr.,Huntingdon Valley, Pa., as-

I V signor to S. W. Evans &Son, Philadelphia, Pa.,

v a corporation of Pennsylvania 7 Application November 29, 1950, SerialNo. 198,112 (01. 125-20) I 6 Claims.

This invention is concerned with reversible umbrellas and particularlydirected-to improvements-in a. reversible umbrella of the characterdisclosed in U. S; Letters Patent 2,132,648, granted October 11, 1938,to Fritz- Rosenberg et a1. I I

Such umbrellas are reasonably satisfactory from a functional standpointbut when closed and rolled up do not present a smooth uninterrupted'outer surface tapering slightly for the full length 'of the ribsfrom'their free ends to their pointof connection with the'collar carriedby the shaft adjacent its tip since portions of the connecting meansbetweenthe stret'chers and the ribs, and more esp'eciallythe eared clipsand rivets by which the short stretcher sections are secured to theribs, project appreciablyin both directions beyond thesides of thelatter and'also inwardly thereof with' the result that when the ribs"are in substantially parallel relation these parts engage thecorresponding parts on the adjacent ribs and so of necessity form as awhole a bulky ring or zone circumferentially of materially greaterdiameter than the zones lying on either side ofit-whichrespectivelycontain the ribs alone or the ribs and longer sections of thestretchers; this results in-an unsightly bulge in the rolled cover aboutmidway between the umbrella handle and tip.

It is't h'erefore aprincipal object of the invention to provide improvedmechanism for connecting together the ribs and stretchersof a reversibleumbrella Whereby the ribs are firmly and positively held in assembledrelation and when the umbrella. 'is closed and rolled up its contour asa whole is materially improved as compared with the umbrella of saidpatent through substantial elimination of the bulge to which referencehas been made. i 1 r r A further object is-to provide improvedconnection betweenthe ribsand stretchers of a reversible umbrellathrough the medium of links and elongated yieldable tension membersinterposed between the stretchers and the ribs, the tension membersbeing-secured tqthe ribs at points remote 'from the links whereby theenlargement of the assembly as a whole. proximate the pointsofconnection of the ribs with the stretchers'is minimized or substantiallyeliminated.

invention will hereafter more fully appear or will be understood fromthe following description of one embodiment thereof wherein reference ishad to theiaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a reversible umbrella with its coverindicated in normal position in full lines and in reversed position indot and dash lines;

Fig. 2is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through a portionof one rib of this umbrellawith its associated stretcher andinterconnecting parts in the positions respectively assumed when theumbrella is closed.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof on a like scale;

Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the said parts in which the relativepositions of the stretcher and rib when the umbrella is open and alsowhen it is reversed are respectively indicated in full and indot anddashlines; I

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged transverse section on the line 5-r-5'i1'1Fig. vl, the relative thickness of the metal being exaggerated, and IFig. 6' is a fragmentary detail side elevation showingtherelativeposition of a link and associated parts atone point duringreturn from reversed position. r

Referring *now' more particularly to the drawing, the umbrellaillustrated in Fig. 1 comprises Other objects, purposes and advantagesof the a shaft S, upon which is mounted proximate one end a collar (notshown) to which the circumferentially spaced-ribs 2 are hinged in thenormal manner to form supports forthe fabric cover C, the ribsbeing madeof thin metal strip of the usual substantially U-shaped cross sectionand at their outeror free ends preferably carrying tips of -plastic-orthe like tovvhich the co'ver is attached s :1 f 1.

To each rib 2 "substantially intermediate its ends is sec uredanelongated-spring 3 preferably formed of channel-shaped metal of a sizeand conformation adaptedto seat in the concave or under side ofthe rib',the spring-being secured to the latter preferablyby aU-sh'aped clip 4overlying the rib and at its edges extending up into the spring as bestshownin Fig. 5; this clip being disposed promixate-that end of the'spring mostnearly' adjacent theitip of the umbrella shaft so that the's'pringextends therefrom toward the free. end of the ribsand through itsinherent resiliency is capable 'of. some angular swinging motionrelativeto the latter. At its free end the sides of the spring are broughttogether (Fig. 3) and ,are received in the 'end..of a link 5 generallyLl-shaped in cross section at its central part or body and having itswalls compressed toward each other. proximate its ends respectively toreceive the rendlof thespringand'the proximate end of the stretcher'6'," likewise of channel section, the extremity of which is similarlycompressed or otherwise suitably reduced so as to enter the link. Theopposite end of the stretcher is of course hinged to the usual slidingsleeve I on shaft S by means of which the umwidth of the rib channel. Asthe link at its Widest a part is'so proportioned as to seat in the ribchannel and as the stretcher and the springare also adapted to seat inthat channel, it results that the only part of. the entireassemblyprojecting beyond the sides of the rib is clip 4 the metal ofwhich is so thin and hugs the rib so closely at all points that it formsno appreciable enlargement thereof particularly in a transversedirection; Thus when the umbrella is closed the ribs can lie closelytogether and closely to the shaft instead of being 'heidapar-t by mutualcontact of the U-shaped eared clamps to which the short stretchersections are pivoted in the umbrella of the said patent. It results thatwhen the umbrella is closedand rolled there'is no appreciable bulky zoneat any point between the free and the hinged ends of the ribs and itconsequently forms a snugly tapering; symmetrical and attractive unit.

The end H] of each link adjacent its point of connection with its spring3 is disposed at right angles to the body of the link and may beslightly rounded at its outer corner, and it will be apparent since thespring is always under appreciable tension even when the umbrella isclosed and the stretchers thus approximately in the position shown inFig. 2 the spring tends to cause'the link to snugly seat in the channelof the rib and similarly when the umbrella is in. normally open positionand. the stretcher thus extending as shown in full lines in Fig.4, it ofcourse having moved from substantially nesting relation with the rib(Fig. 2) around pivot 9 in the direction of the arrow during the openingmovement with the link remaining substantially stationary. Forconvenience of assembly both link ends preferably are made alikealthough actually the shape of the link end adjacent pivot 9. isimmaterial. As is well known in the industry the stretchers of anumbrella tend to depart from alignment with their respective ribs whenthe. umbrella is being opened and consequently exert a sidewise shearingaction on the means connecting the ribs and stretchers together, this,tendency not only interfering with the ease with which the umbrella canbe opened but in time either greatlyloosening or even fracturing thesaid connecting means. In the umbrellaof my invention, however, at leasta portion of each link is constantly within the rib channel andyieldingly pressed into it by spring 3 with the result that in anyrelative position of the stretchers and ribs the aforesaid shearingaction is adequately resisted and the stretchers maintained insubstantial-alignment with their respective ribs.

The umbrella is of course opened in the ordinary way by moving theaforementioned sliding sleeve I along shaft S, the stretchers 6 duringthis movement swinging about pivots 9 as aforesaid and the links underthe influence of their respective springs and the thrust of the stretchers remaining snugly in the channels of the ribs and so holding thestretchers in'proper align ment'therewith. 7

With the umbrella now in open position, should a gust'of wind or thelike of sufiicient force to reverse it be encountered, the ribs swingstill farther upwardly and the links turn about pivots 8 until they passthrough the'position indicated in Fig. 6 and under the further pull ofthe stretchers then pass over center to ultimately assume substantiallythe. dotted line position of Fig. 4, the umbrella being now completelyreversed as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. During this movement,nevertheless, the end portion of each link is always within the chanmlof its adjacent rib and is held therein by its spring 3 thus maintainingproper alignment between the parts during and after reversal and randomand uncontrolled whipping of the reversed umbrella is largely negativedby the fact that, as just mentioned, a portion of each link is firmlymaintained in its rib channel even though the tension normally exertedby the cover is relieved.

To return the umbrella from reversed to fully closed position, shaft Sisfirmly grasped with one hand and'the operating sleeve I pulled towardthe handlewith the other, the pull of the stretchers and links combinedwith the tension of the cover causing the ribs during the first part ofthis movement to curve upwardly and to then snap back to generallystraight line condition when the links reach approximately the positionof Fig. 6; then as the ribs close in toward the shaft the linksprog-ressively swing more into parallelism therewith to finally seat fortheir full length in the rib channels when the umbrella is fully closedor substantially so as in Fig. 2-. i

However, after a reversal of the umbrella it is quite usual for theowner to return the sleeve along the shaftonlyv far enough to cause theribs to reach the aforesaid generally straightline position at anincluded angle of about 60 to the shaft and to then immediatelyrevers'ethe direction of motion of the sleeve so as to open the umbrellabeforefully closing it. As hitherto pointed out, when theribs reach-thecondition just mentioned the links, stand approximately at right anglesto' them (Fig. 6') with their ends resting on the bottoms of the ribchannels and are yieldingly held thereagainst by thetension of springs 3which is then at the maximum. in consequence during the ensuing openingmovement the tendency of ,the stretchers toshear ,sidewaysout of properalignment with their respective ribs is resistedby the linksan-d theumbrella opens without undue side thrust on the parts, the links justbefore the completion of the opening movement snapping over center andinto the rib channels for their full length to assume the full lineposition of Fig. 4.

It will thus be apparent that irrespective of whether the umbrella beopened from fully closed condition or from a partly closed conditionfollowing reversal, the links in whole or in part are constantlymaintained in the rib channels through the action of springs :3 and sore sist the tendency of umbrella stretchers to depart from alignmentwith their respective ribs during the opening and closing of theumbrella, thus relieving the rib and stretcher 'int'ercon necting meansfrom inimical side thrusts and materially contributing to the ease andsmoothness with which the umbrella can be raised and lowered, either inthe normal way or following a reversal of it.

While I have herein described andillustrated with considerableparticularity one embodiment of my invention which I now prefer, I donot thereby desire or intend to confine or restrict myself specificallythereto as various changes and modifications in the instrumentalitiesemployed and in their method of assembly will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art and may be made if desired without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. In a reversible umbrella frame comprising a shaft, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced ribs channel shaped in cross section andhingedly supported on the shaft and a sleeve slidable on the shaft, anelongated spring secured at one end only in the channel of each rib, alink adapted to seat in said channel and pivoted at one end to the freeend of the spring, and a stretcher pivoted to the other end of the linkand to the sleeve, the spring in any positionv of the link operating tourge the proximate end of the link into the channel in the rib.

2. In a reversible umbrella frame comprising a shaft, a plurality ofribs each of channel section hingedly connected at one end to the shaftin circumferneitally spaced relation, an elongated spring secured at oneend in the channel of each rib and extending from the point ofsecurement toward the free end of the rib, a sleeve slidable on theshaft, a stretcher substantially aligned with each rib and hingedlyconnected to the sleeve, and a link adapted to seat in the channel ofthe adjacent rib interposed between the free end of each spring and theother end of the corresponding stretcher and pivoted to the spring andthe stretcher adjacent its respective ends, the length of the pinsforming the pivots being less than the width of the channel of the rib.

3. In a reversible umbrella frame, a channelshaped rib, a stretcher andmeans forming a movable connection between the rib and stretchercomprising a link adapted to seat in the channel of the rib, a pinpivotally connecting one end of the link with the proximate end of thestretcher, an elongated spring of generally channel section extending inthe channel of the rib with one of its ends proximate the link, meanssecuring to the rib that end of the spring remote from the link, and apin forming a pivotal connection between the free end of the spring andthe other end of the link, the length of each of said pins being lessthan the width of the channel in the rib to enable said pins to enterthe channel.

4. In a reversible umbrella frame, a, channelshaped rib, a stretcher andmeans forming a movable connection between the rib and stretchercomprising a link adapted to seat in the channel of the rib, a pinpivotally connecting one end of the link with the proximate end of thestretcher, an elongated spring of generally channel section extendingfrom the link in the channel of the rib, means securing to the rib thatend of the spring remote from the link, and a pin forming a pivotalconnection between the free end of the spring and the other end of thelink, the length of each of said pins being less than the width of thechannel in the rib to enable said pins to enter the channel and that endof the link adjacent the spring extending at a right angle to the bodyof the link to thereby seat on the bottom of the channel under the biasof the spring when the link assumes a position substantially normal tothe rib as the umbrella is returned from reversed to partly opencondition.

5. A reversible umbrella frame comprising a rib, a stretcher, a link, apin pivotally connecting the stretcher to the link adjacent one end ofthe latter, elongated yielding means fixed at one end to the rib andmeans pivotally connecting the other end of said yielding means with thelink adjacent its other end, said link and said yielding means extendingin substantial mutual prolongation when the umbrella is normally closedor open and when it is reversed extending at an acute angle to eachother, said yielding means constantly biasing said link toward the rib.

6. A reversible umbrella frame comprising a rib, a stretcher, a link, apin forming a pivotal connection between the stretcher and the link,elongated yielding means fixed at one end to the rib and means forming apivotal connection between its other end and the link, said rib being ofsubstantially U-shaped channel section and said link and said yieldingmeans substantially conforming in cross section to the rib channel andextending therein in substantial mutual alignment when the umbrella isclosed or in normal open position.

WAYNE S. EVANS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rosenberg et al. Oct.11, 1938 Number

